Bar latch



g- 2, 1966 1. s. HouvENER BAR LATCH Filed Nov. '2, 1

' Irving S.Houvener,

3,264,018 BAR LATCH Midland, Mich., assignor to The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 7, 1963, Ser. No. 322,087 4 Claims. (Cl. 287--189.35)

This invention relates to a latch. It more particularly relates to an improved bar latch.

Much current construction utilizes sandwich panels which comprise rigid face sheetsaflixed to low density cores. Many of these panels are utilized for insulated structures wherein heat transfer from one side of the panels to another is a prime consideration. Such low 'by thermal expansion and contraction.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved bar latch for the joining of thin sheets.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved bar latch which is readily adaptable for joining sandwich panels.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bar latch which can be optionally permanently installed or demountably installed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a latch which can be fabricated largely from metal stampings.

Anotherobject ofthe invention is to provide a latch having a minimal thickness.

These benefits and other objects in accordance with the .present invention are readily achieved by providing a bar latch comprising a catch portion and a latch portion, said latch portion comprising a housing adapted to receive a generally flat bar-like latch member, the latch member defining a pin engaging aperture, and an internal longitudinal slot, the longitudinal slot having on one of its longitudinal edges a rack, the latch member adapted to freely slide within the housing and the housing adapted to mount on the surface of a member to be joined, the housing defining an aperture adapted to provide access to the slot when the latch member is disposed within the housing, a pinion member having rotating means and teeth adapted to engage the rack when positioned within the aperture and the slot, a catch comprising a housing adapted to receive the terminal portion of the latch member having the pin engaging aperture, the catch housing defining at least one aperture adapted to communicate with the pin receiving aperture of the latch bar, a pin adapted to pass through the apertures in the catch housing and engage the I pin receiving aperture in the latch bar.

Further features and advantages of this invention will become more apparent when taken in connection with the following specification and drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a partly in section view of a latch in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded sectional view of the latch of FIGURE 1 in the closed position;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional viewof an alternate embodiment of the invention.

In FIGURE 1 there is illustrated a partly in section view of a bar latch assembly in accordance with the invention. The latch assembly 10 comprises a latch portion 12 and a catch portion 13. The latch portion 12 comprises a housing 14. The housing 14 consists of a mounting wall 15 and a second parallel opposed wall 16 defining a cavity 17 within which is positioned a latch member 19. 1 The latch member 19 defines a pin engaging aperture 21 and a generally longitudinal slot 23. One of the longitudinal edges of the slot 23 defines a rack 25 having a plurality of teeth 26. Within the wall 15 of the housing 14 is an aperture 28 which provides communication to the slot 23. The latch portion 13 comprises a housing 30 adapted to receive the latch member 19. Within the housing 30 are defined openings 31 and 32 which coincide with aperture 21 when the latch member is in the extended position as designated by the dotted line.

In FIGURE 2 there is illustrated an exploded view of the latch assembly 10 wherein the latching member 19 is shown in the closed position. Within the wall 16 of the housing 14 is defined an aperture 35. The aperture 35 is generally coaxially disposed in relationship to the aperture 28. The latch assembly 10 is afiixed to the housing 14. The latch assembly 10 is aflixed to the sheet 37 whereas the catch 13 is afiixed to the sheet 38. Within the sheet 37 is an aperture 40 and within the sheet 38 is the aperture 41. A rotatable pinion member 44 adapted to engage the rack 25 and pass through apertures 28 and 35 is shown adjacent the aperture 28. The pinion 44 comprises a body portion 46 defining a plurality of teeth 47 adapted to mate with the rack 25, a head portion 49 having defined therein a slot or driving means 50 and an inlet threaded cavity or withdrawal means 52. Adjacent the aperture 32 is a latch engaging pin 53. The latch engaging pin 53 comprises a body portion 55 adapted to pass through the apertures 31 and 32 of the catch 13 and the aperture 21 of the latch member 19. Within the body portion 55 of the pin 53 is defined a slot 56 which is partially filled with a resilient material 57. Integral with the body portion 55 is a head portion 58 having defined therein an internally threaded cavity or withdrawal means 59. a In FIGURE 3 there is depicted a cross sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the invention comprising a housing 60 containing a latch member 61, an aperture 62 adapted to receive a pinion member such as the pinion member 44 and permit free rotation thereof and an aperture 63 defined by a wall 64 having a diameter slightly smaller than the overall diameter of the pinion member and adapted to be broached therebyiwhen the pinion member is forced into a seated position.

Operation of the bar latch of the present invention is best understood by reference to FIGURES l and 2. The separate latch portions are secured to suitable members to be joined such as panels or the like in alignment substantially as shown in the drawing. Usually it is convenient to set the'latch member 19 in the cavity 17 so that no portion projects. The panels are then positioned in such a manner that the catch portions are in mating end to end relationship. The pinion member 44 is then inserted to engage the rack 25. Rotation of the pinion 44 in the appropriate direction will forward the latch member 19 into the catch 30. The latch pin 53 is then inserted through the openings 31 and 32. Rotation of the pinion 4-4 in the opposite direction will withdraw the latching member '19 to engage the slot 56 and cornpress the flexible material 57. When the desired tension has been reached on the latch pin. 53 the pinion member 44 is then forced toward the wall 16 of the housing 14 and breaches or frictionally engages the portion of the wall defining the opening 35 and rotation thereof is prevented. Usually if excessive strain is not applied to the catch the arrangement of the aperture 35 as depicted in FIG- URE 2 is quite satisfactory. However, where greater strains will be imposed on the catch the increased frictional engagement offered by the wall 64 provides from the head of the pin. sandwich panels and the like the catches can be readily 3 added resistance to rotation of the pinion member when seated. -T-he threaded recesses 52 and 59 are provided in the pins 44 and 53 respectively, if the catches in accordance with the invention are installed in locations where ready access is not provided to the face remote Thus, when utilized with assembled or disassembled from one side of the structure. Although the latching pin 53 has been illustrated and described as having a resilient material disposed within a slot, alternate pins may be used utilizing an annular groove or an unfilled slot if the tension providing feature is not necessary for a specific application. If a somewhat less costly construction is desired the pin 53 may have a cylindrical body configuration and the friction of the latch member or deformation caused by the latch membe! can be utilized to maintain the pin in desired closed position. Latches in accordance with the present invention'are found to result in strong joints between sheetlike as well as cylindrical members.

As is apparent from the foregoing specification, the manufacture of the present invention is susceptible of being embodied with various alterations and modifications which may differ particularly from those that have been described in the preceding specification and description.

..For this reason, it is to be fully understood that all of the foregoing is intended to. be merely illustrative and is not to be construed or interpreted as being restrictive or I the-housing adapted to mount on -the surface of amembet to joined,

the housing having an aperture providing access to the slot when the latch member is disposed within the housing,

a pinion member having rotating means and teeth adapted to engage the rack when positioned within the aperture and the slot,

the catch portion comprising a housing engaging the terminal portion of the latch member having said pin engaging aperture in latched position,

the catch portion housing defining at least one aperture adjacent to the engaging aperture when in the latched position of the latch member,

a pin adapted to pass through the apertures in the catch portion housing and engage the pin engaging aperture in the latch member, the latch portion housing is provided with a pinion receiving aperture disposed oppositely to the aperture adapted to provide access to the slot, the pinion receiving aperture being of a lesser cross-sectional dimension than the pinion and adapted to restrain the pinion from rotatable motion when torced therein.

2. The bar latch of claim 1 wherein said pinion is provided with an enlarged head portion and means therein to allow extraction of the pinion from the latch bar assembly.

3. The latch of claim 1 wherein the pin has a latch member receiving slot.

4. The latch of claim 3 wherein a resilient material is positioned within the latch member receiving slot and adapted to engage the latch member.

References Cited by the Examiner RICHARD W. C OOKE, JR., Primary Examiner.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, R. s. VERMUT,

' Assistant Examiners. 

1. AN IMPROVED BAR LATCH COMPRISING; A CATCH PORTION AND A LATCH PORTION, THE LATCH PORTION COMPRISING A HOUSING SLIDABLY CONTAINING THEREIN A GENERALLY FLAT BAR-LIKE LATCH MEMBER, THE LATCH MEMBER DEFINING A PIN ENGAGING APERTURE AND AN INTERNAL LONGITUDINAL SLOT, THE LONGITUDINAL SLOT HAVING ON ONE OF ITS LONGITUDINAL EDGES A RACK, THE HOUSING ADAPTED TO MOUNT ON THE SURFACE OF A MEMBER TO BE JOINED, THE HOUSING HAVING AN APERTURE PROVIDING ACCESS TO THE SLOT WHEN THE LATCH MEMBER IS DISPOSED WITHIN THE HOUSING, A PINION MEMBER HAVING ROTATING MEANS AND TEETH ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE RACK WHEN POSITIONED WITHIN THE APERTURE AND THE SLOT, THE CATCH PORTION COMPRISING A HOUSING ENGAGING THE TERMINAL PORTION OF THE LATCH MEMBER HAVING SAID PIN ENGAGING APERTURE IN LATCHED POSITION, THE CATCH PORTION HOUSING DEFINING AT LEAST ONE APERTURE ADJACENT TO THE ENGAGING APERTURE WHEN IN THE LATCHED POSITION OF THE LATCH MEMBER, A PIN ADAPTED TO PASS THROUGH THE APERTURES IN THE CATCH PORTION HOUSING AND ENGAGE THE PIN ENGAGING APERTURE IN THE LATCH MEMBER, THE LATCH PORTION HOUSING IS PROVIDED WITH A PINION RECEIVING APERTURE DISPOSED OPPOSITELY TO THE APERTURE ADAPTED TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE SLOT, THE PINION RECEIVING APERTURE BEING OF A LESSER CROSS-SECTIONAL DIMENSION THAN THE PINION AND ADAPTED TO RESTRAIN THE PINION FROM ROTATABLE MOTION WHEN FORCED THEREIN. 